Extra enforcement results in extra citations

Carthage Police officers spent extra time on the streets of Carthage over the weekend working to find impaired drivers.

Staff Reports

Carthage Police officers spent extra time on the streets of Carthage over the weekend working to find impaired drivers.

The effort resulted on 27 citations from Thursday to Sunday, including one arrest for felony driving while intoxicated, one speeding ticket, two seat belt violations and six drivers license violations.

“Driving while under the influence of drugs or alcohol is never worth the risk of a tragedy,” said Carthage Police Chief Greg Dagnan. “We’re working to keep our roads safer.”

Driving while intoxicated remains one of the top causes of fatal car crashes in Missouri. In 2012, 217 people were killed and 815 were seriously injured in accidents that involved at least one impaired driver. Enforcement efforts like this one help take impaired drivers off the road and make travel in Missouri safer.

Police pushing teen seatbelt useCarthage police officers are putting extra effort for the next two weeks into an aggressive youth seatbelt mobilization to crack down on seatbelt violators and reduce highway fatalities.

Carthage Police Lt. Bill Barksdale said local police and officers statewide are joining up to focus hard on youth seatbelt use in a campaign lasting until March 31.

Carthage police said studies show only 66 percent of Missouri teenagers wear their seatbelt when driving or riding in a vehicle. Eight out of 10 teens killed in traffic crashes are unbuckled.

Under the graduated drivers license law, teens are required to wear their seatbelt as it’s a primary offense, meaning they can be pulled over solely for not wearing their seatbelt.

During an enforcement campaign over the weekend of Feb. 22, Carthage police ticketed 10 people for failing to wear their seatbelts.

“Local motorists should be prepared for stepped up seatbelt enforcement,” Barksdale said. “We’ll be out there to remind you seatbelts can — and do — save lives. Seatbelt use is the single most effective way to protect people and reduce fatalities in motor vehicle crashes.”